EPS molded cement planter

ABSTRACT

An improved plant container consisting of an interior of recycled polystyrene foam panels enclosed within a metallic wire mesh that is enclosed by an interior and exterior layer of cement is formed by a unique wooden or plastic mold consisting of a solid male and collapsible female mold. This planter is designed to be light weight, allow for improved drainage and/or retention of moisture while allowing for improved air circulation throughout the plants soil, therefore preventing under and over watering of a plant preventing root rot or severe dryness. the planter is specially designed despite its lighter weight to allow for easy transport by means of a built in pallet at its base.

This application is entitled to the benefit of Provisional patent application No. 61/005,674 file on date Dec. 7, 2007

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a lightweight plant container made of a cement covered wire mesh with recycled expanded polystyrene blocks inserted between the layers of wire mesh.

2. Prior Art

Large plant containers often seen along medians of a boulevard, typically made from cement or similar heavy materials which results in planters that are heavy in weight and in addition often times drain improperly leading to over watering. The U.S. patent A01G dated September 2002 discloses planter consisting of an outer wooden layer with an inner thin cement layer that retains nutrients and moisture within the cemented walls. There is however the disadvantage that such planters are too heavy for practical use, consisting both of wood and cement, in addition to the possible decay of the outer wooden portion. To the extent that known containers consist of heavy solid materials such as cement, clays, woods and plastics, the outdoor versions of said planters are heavy and impractical to transport. The present invention has the advantage made of enmeshed polystyrene covered in a light coat of cement, creating a far easier pot to transport than other planters of similar size, and the ease of maneuverability with the lifting pallet base directly built into the underside of said planter.

A lightweight planter is noted by U.S. Pat. No. 6,358,575 by Spragg (2002) whereby a light weight cementitiously composed planter which can include a fibrous material, for reinforcing the cement and perlite using an air entraining agent to reduce the density of the cement mixture. A disadvantage of the noted invention is that it relies on perlite as the primary aggregate of the cement mixture. Although this mixture is lighter in weight than standard cementitious mixtures, it remains significantly heavier in weight than the present invention in part due to the fact that this particular mixture remains fully solid throughout the planter. Perlite is also known to require different fibers to add flexural strength to the mixture which reduces perlites known shrink cracking., whereas the present invention maintains its structural integrity. The present invention also has the advantage of preventing both over and under watering of the plant due to its internal polystyrene foam layer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to produce an improved plant container made of a cement exterior coating encompassing recycled polystyrene foam blocks enclosed within a wire mesh housing which is light in weight and easy to transport, and in addition provides effective conditions for the proper drainage, moisture retention, and necessary air circulation for healthy plants or trees.

The above objects have been achieved according to the present invention of a plant pot container comprising a base and sidewall exterior of light yet sturdy cement with an interior of non-decaying light weight recycled expanded polystyrene foam material encaged along all six sides of the foam, within a wired mesh of metal or plastic, reinforcing said foam material.

The unique advantage of the invention is that the container is much lighter in weight than most large plant containers and also offers easy transport.

The containers specially built-in base pallet allows for easy inexpensive relocation of a large plant or tree already planted within the container. Furthermore, such relocation is aided by the stable integrity of the container whereby young or mature plants are secure doing transport.

Thus the plant can be planted either as seedlings or as a mature plant in the soil once the plant has been cultivated.

The recyclable/recycled polystyrene inner portion of the planter thus guarantees the integrity of the planter as a whole, and that the proper level of moisture will remain to cultivate a healthy root system, insuring proper heat distribution while being permeable to air circulation within the soil. Drainage is sufficient enough to prevent root rot and various outgrowths of mold and mildew. However in regions of very little precipitation and higher year round temperatures, the inner polystyrene layer helps to retain moisture throughout the planter.

Another object of the present invention is to allow for the attachment of a plurality of artistic decorations to be imprinted on the planter by means of an art deco plate which is affixed to the female mold members interior wall whereby following the introduction of cement and the curing process the plate is removed to reveal an art deco about the planters surface by means of impression.

Drawings BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following description should explain the invented plant container in detail on the basis of the drawings.

FIG. 1. Is the female mold member lined with the polystyrene core.

FIG. 2. Is the male mold member.

FIG. 3. Is a bisected side view of the wire enmeshed polystyrene block.

FIG. 4. Are the male and female mold members attached from a side view.

FIG. 5. Are the male and female mold members attached from a top view.

FIG. 6. The bisected side view of the cement filled male and female attached mold chambers with a center of polystyrene panels fully encaged within the mesh wiring. Two front latches secure the two separate sections of the female mold.

FIG. 7. Are the male and female mold members with cement and foam panels from a top view.

FIG. 8. Is the side view of a fully enclosed female mold member and its built in pallet lifting slots.

FIG. 9. is the adjustable dolly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the drawings of the present invention FIG. 1 shows the collapsible dual pieced female mold 15 of the present invention, absent the male mold member casing 14, the inside cement casing 19, and outside cement casing 20. About the surface of the female mold member 15 are at least two, or more female mold closing latches 17 horizontally attached in a locked position and fixing the female mold member 15 in its closed squared shaped position. Along either opposing wall of the female mold closing latches 17 are attached by means of screws or bolts two locking latches 18 which secure the female mold member 15 to the male mold member 14. Said female mold members interior is aligned with recycled expanded polystyrene panels 11, that are interlocked in equally proportioned segments, which may be fashioned in a plurality of various sizes which are in turn interlocked together by means of the use of wire mesh 12, secured by wire ties 13 along each interval of engagement along the polystyrene panels 11 surface area.

FIG. 2 of the present invention illustrates the male mold member 14 from which the planter is shaped when cement is introduced between the attached mold members, male 14 and female 15, and allowed to sufficiently cure and solidify.

FIG. 3 shows a bisected side view of the planter while inside the mold. Bounded on the left by the exterior female mold member 15 wall an outer layer of cement 20 fills the void between the female mold member 15 and the exterior polystyrene panel 11 which itself is enclosed in a wire mesh 12. A second interior void created by the interior side of the polystyrene panel 11 and the exterior male mold member 14 wall is filled with a second application of cement forming the interior cement casing 19 of the planter. Once the cement dries and cures the female mold member 15 and male mold member 14 are removed and thus a newly operational planter is thus produced.

FIG. 4 Is a simple side view of the male mold member 14 and the female mold member 15 attached whereby the outline of the molds planter shape is visually clear. The expanded polystyrene blocks 11 here are presented without any wire mesh and clearly border the base and either side of the male mold member 14 prior to the application of cement to either side of the polystyrene blocks 11.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the fully attached mold members whereby the outer border is the female mold member 15 and the central area is the male mold member 14. Both the interior cement casing 19 and the exterior cement casing 20 enclose the polystyrene blocked 11 interior of the planter. At least one cement injection nozzle 16 is placed about each surface wall area atop the male mold member 14.

FIG. 6 of the present invention illustrates a frontal view of the enclosed male mold member by the female mold member 15 immediately following the injection of cement through a plurality of cement injection nozzles 16 atop the male mold member 14. The male mold member 14 is securely placed between the planters inner wall to create a means by which the wire mesh 12 completely enclosed by the polystyrene panels 11 secured by wire ties 13, is completely encased in cement by an inner cement casing 19 and an outer cement casing 20 of the polystyrene panels 11. About the front and back segments of the collapsible female mold member 15 whose preferred embodiment is composed of a durable wooden composition is attached along the outer center surface and evenly spaced about either vertical surface of the door are at least two female mold closing latches 17 which secure the female mold members 15 together by means of a locking latch 18 on the side walls of the female mold member 15 to meet over the male mold member 14.

FIG. 7. illustrates a top view of the planter within the enclosed mold members. The female mold member 15 encases the entire structure along the outside perimeter in its locked position. The outer cement casing 20 shall be the outer body of the planter itself. This outer cement casing 20 is contained by the female mold member 15 and encloses the exterior portion of the wire mesh 13 enclosed polystyrene foam 11 about the entire perimeter of the mold. A second layer of cement, the interior cement casing 19 which forms the interior walls of the planter encloses the interior side of the wire mesh 13 enclosed polystyrene foam 11 completely engulfing said polystyrene foam 11 itself enclosed in the wire mesh 13 in a cement casing. The male mold member 14 forms the central section of this illustration and acts as shape inducing element of the planter thereby forming the interior walls and base of said planter. At least one cement injection nozzle 16 sits atop each side of this square shaped embodiment of the male mold member 14 whereby cement, preferably Portland cement is allowed to evenly flow between the voids between the two mold members.

FIG. 8 is a partially sided view of the finished planter 23 which includes two built in pallet slots 21 of roughly 3 to 6″ in length across and 4 to 6″ of width in diameter creating a void of space to act as openings for forks to be inserted for lifting purposes. These pallet slots 21 run the entire length of the planter at its base. The pallet slots are formed by an ulterior embodiment of the male mold member 14 whereby the pallet slots 21 are directly built into said male mold member 14 to form the aforementioned pallet slots 21.

FIG. 9 of the present invention shows the adjustable dolly 22 whereby its axel located at its base is collapsible or expandable by means of two semi hollow metallic tubes, one with a larger circumference to fit as a sleeve over the other. Each tube comprises a plurality of circular holes evenly placed and spaced about the length of each tube to allow for the proper alignment together creating the necessary desired length. Once properly aligned at least two pins are inserted about each end of the tubes to lock in the desired width of the lifting forks.

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATION AND SCOPE

Although the description above contains many specifications, it should be clear to anyone skilled in the art that these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations and definitions of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given. 

1. An upright plant container comprised of a base and sidewall exterior of sturdy cement; an interior of non-decaying recyclable light weight expanded polystyrene foam panels encaged along all six sides of the foam within a metallic wire mesh; a set of wooden or polycarbonate male and female molds whereby said female mold is collapsible and attached together with metallic latches affixed to the front and rear portions of said female mold; at least one rectangular slot built into the base of said planter to support a lifting mechanism for said planter; a plurality of circular injection nozzles about the upper surface of said male mold; and a base and sidewall interior of sturdy cement.
 2. A plant container according to claim 1, wherein said exterior sidewall and base consists of an outer cement casing contained within said female mold and the exterior sidewall and base of said wire mesh enclosed expanded polystyrene panels during the injection and curing phase of the cement.
 3. A plant container according to claim 1, wherein said interior sidewall and base consists of an inner cement casing contained within said male mold, comprising the interior of said planter, and the interior sidewall and base of the polystyrene panels which thereby consist of individual blocks enclosed within a metallic wire mesh and snake wire housing member attached to said polystyrene panel by metallic twist ties along each intersecting point of said wire and snake shaped mesh.
 4. A plant container according to claim 1, wherein said female mold consists of a set of rectangular, square or other shaped panels of wood or polycarbonate materials consists of two evenly enclosed separate pieces secured together by a plurality of closing latches on two opposing sides and a plurality of screw in locking latches along at least one of the two remaining sides thereby securing said female mold to said male mold.
 5. A plant container according to claim 1, wherein said male mold consists of an inverted shape that is angled as a chevron shape from the top to the base. Said male member fits inside of the detachable two pieced female mold member thereby creating a natural void for the placement of said polystyrene foam panels and the injected cement thus creating the shaping mechanism for the planter.
 6. A plant container according to claim 1, wherein said injection nozzles reside atop said male mold member and are angled such that wet cement is introduced between said male and female mold members whereby the entire area of the wire mesh enclosed polystyrene panels are fully submerged between layers of cement.
 7. A plant container according to claim 1, wherein said built in pallet lifting slots are built directly into the male mold members base creating two rectangular hollowed slots thereby providing a mechanism for the use of a lifting agent to easily transport said planter.
 8. A plant container according to claim 7, wherein said lifting agent consists of an adjustable dolly whereby the fork lifters of said dolly may be adjusted along the axel of said dolly. The axel consists of a plurality of circular openings about the length of said axel and is either a circular tube or square tube in shape. Said axel consists of two pieces one with a slightly larger area allowing for the other piece fit within the larger member. At least a pair or pins are inserted once the desired width of said dolly is obtained. A larger width is used for larger planters which require a larger base with a greater width required of the built in pallet lifting slots.
 9. A plant container according to claim 4, wherein said female mold member may be fitted along its interior wall with an art deco impressions plate by means of screws or glue. Said impressions plate is removed after the cement dries and cures revealing a desired art design engraved on the exterior wall of said planter. 